Over the last few weeks I have recognised the signature of many Goddesses playing out in the world around me. I have been immersed in this energy and found myself too fey to engage Mercury, the God of language, to communicate my discoveries in the strange misty lands where I dwell. Venus is now flowing with Saturn, the God of commitment and so I stir to express this journey in time and express how this is playing out in life.

Venus is the ruler of Taurus, the sign we have been buried in over this past month. She is Aphrodite in Greek myths, and was married to Hephaestus, the lame blacksmith to the Gods. He was not valued due to his deformity but manages to redeem himself with a genius for invention, creating magnificent things in his forge. Thus, where we feel inadequate and lacking is often the stimulus we require, to spark the desire that produces our true gifts. ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’

Hephaestus’ creations are greatly valued by the Gods and Aphrodite herself adores beautiful things. Although the smithy is a worthy provider. Aphrodite is not sexually enamoured with her husband and lusts after Ares/Mars. Beautiful, golden Venus is always able to attract whatever she desires.

The cuckold, Hephaestus goes to work and creates a fine net of golden filaments and uses it to trap Aphrodite and Ares ‘in fragrante delicito’ much to the bemusement of the Gods.

During the retrograde phase, Venus aligns with the Sun and disappears from our night sky. She cannot be seen because her light is swallowed by the Sun’s radiance. This is a time when our Venusian desires are captured by Hephaestus’ golden net and are ready to be exposed in a way we cannot normally see when seduced by Venus’s delicious allure. Eventually Venus will be reborn as the Morning or Dawn Star, pregnant with the Sun’s seed ready for another cycle round that great orb.

Venus went retrograde on the 15th May at 23 degrees Gemini and will continue to move backwards, (or so it seems from Earth), till she reaches 7 degrees Gemini and recommences her forward movement on June the 28th. She will then cover the same ground till she returns to 23 degrees on the 21st of July and having absorbed her inner experience moves on with a new sense of divine purpose.

We are already versed in the themes of Venus’ absence from our sky as she has already travelled this ground since April 12th when she was at 7 degrees Gemini. Going back to review this period I find my Mars in Training post. In this I spoke about Mars finally moving direct as Pluto moves retrograde. It is only now with Hephaestus’ net that I can see that Venus was also present in this meeting. It seems Mars and Venus, the archetypal male and female lovers were actually having an illicit meeting at this time. Pluto, the underworld God of sex, shadow and secrets was present, indicating the nature of their merger.

Hephaestus and the inhabitants of Olympus may be well amused at my unconsciousness. I tell the story in that post of my detached participation in my friend’s medicine circle. I was unaware at the time that I was participating in a Dawn Star circle. I was conscious of the presence of Venus at the time but thought it lay simply in the gifts that I contributed to the altar; pink roses and crabapples. Also a Taurean maiden that sat beside me. We actually sat in the East as we ignorantly mimicked the Morning Star. It was only later that it dawned on me that the whole event was dedicated to the Goddess of Love in her many guises. This event heralded the entry of Sun and Moon in Taurus. Since this time there has been a sinking in and honouring of many Goddess archetypes in my life. I have felt absorbed by the Earth as I have been steeped in the Goddess stories that echo in my life.

Venus is in Gemini at this time and I associate Gemini with teenagers, as they venture out from their families to engage and explore with increased independence. During this time I have had the honour of hearing many tales of first loves, infatuations, sudden break-ups and betrayals. Through them I recognise the delicate touch or fragrant desire of Aphrodite, intensifying as she is absorbed by the Sun.

To participate more consciously in your Venus retrograde journey, go back to my Mars in Training post or employ other markers of the time to trigger your memories. Discover what trysts you were engaged in and what dance has led you to this eve. We have the opportunity to tend the garden we have planted over this period as Venus and her true desires resonate on an inner level. With Venus in Gemini I see the opportunity for love’s hi-jinx to play some out of season Midsummer’s Nights Dream with us all, as we succumb to Oberon’s love potion. Like the characters in this play we may find the object of our love surprising.

… as I finish this post I receive a bouquet of red roses on behalf of my daughter. A Venusian token of appeasement from a thwarted lover.